to dye / to catch (a disease) / to acquire (bad habits etc) / to contaminate / to add color washes to a painting
染
=
木
+
氿
:
Robinson Crusoe (r) finds that there is a small mountain spring (氿) in the anthill (an3). Unfortunately it is contaminated (染) by a plastic Christmas tree (木) standing next to it. The BPA and dye from the Christmas tree leak into the water and change the creek's color (染).
Mnemonic symbol: a chocolate factory. Charlie Chaplin (ch) is overjoyed to see that in the anglepod's living room (ang3), a small chocolate factory (厂) is for sale. He buys it, shaves his mustache, grows his hair a bit and renames himself to Willy Wonka to live in the chocolate factory.